Change

So I’m watching the speeches by Obama and McCain this week and it was pretty clear to me that this country wants change! That seems to be the direction both candidates are headed in with regard to their message. And it shouldn’t be a surprise, something like 80% of the people in this country believe we are headed in the wrong direction. It’s very troubling that so many people feel like we are in such a mess. So I guess the old saying is worth remembering, when you’re in a hole . . . stop digging!

If you’re a student here at SU, I hope that when you leave here you’ll be an agent of change. Perhaps that might be in the form of becoming a successful accountant who manages the books for a small company so well that many people are gainfully employed leading productive and fulfilling lives. Perhaps you’ll be an artist whose work is thought provoking to the point where other people are influenced to take positive action on some injustice. Maybe you’ll want to be a teacher and influence a generation of students to be life-long learners.

Whatever the scenario you choose, you don’t have to be a nationally known politician to be an agent of change. Change occurs in lots of small and seemingly insignificant ways. Maybe you’ll live a nice quite life, pay your bills, be a good neighbor, and maybe raise a nice family. If we had more people who just did that, maybe we wouldn’t be headed in the wrong direction like we are right now.

Next week I’ll report from Providence, RI and the AHECTA conference.